Handgun, AR-15 Found Separately
Press & Happenings
March 13, 2008
On separate occasions, transportation security officers at Boise (Idaho) Air Terminal/Gowen Field recently discovered loaded firearms in passenger carry-ons.
TSO Marlin Brown was operating the X-ray when a passenger attempted to go through the checkpoint with a loaded .38-caliber handgun in his backpack.
Brown immediately notified Lead TSO Jerry Blacker and Supervisory TSO J.J. Perez, and airport police arrived on the scene. The passenger said he forgot to take the gun out of his bag. He was cited and released.
This is Brown's second gun discovery as a TSO. "It gives you a big adrenalin rush that lasts the whole day," he said.
A few days earlier, an undeclared AR-15 rifle with three loaded magazines was discovered by TSO Craig Woolf. The passenger said he declared the rifle when he started his hunting trip and an outfitter erroneously told him he did not have to declare it for the return flight.
"The Boise TSOs are vigilant and they do an outstanding job keeping out prohibited items every day," said Boise Federal Security Director Andrew Coose.
